Social+Studies+Department


 * Social Studies Department **

The following courses cover the Pennsylvania academic standards associated with Social Studies: History, Civics and Government, Economics, and Government. //__In all required Social Studies courses, students undertake primary source analysis, independent research, and data interpretation activities to build the skills required by the Pennsylvania Standards associated with Social Studies.__//

American History Survey (9th grade) Personal Economics (9th Grade rotational) World History and Geography (10th Grade) Principles of Economics (11th Grade) Government (Dual Enrollment -12th grade) Psychology (Dual Enrollment - 11th & 12th Grade)

__** American History Survey (9th Grade) **__

This course as provided in Susquehanna Community High School attempts to examine the full sweep of American History in a manner meaningful to today’s students. The approach is interdisciplinary, involving Anthropology, Sociology, Geography, and other Social Sciences. The focus is on the people of America and the values that shaped the nation, past and present. The major focus of the year will revolve around 5 units of study--The American Revolution, the Civil War, World War I, World War II and America Since 1945. Upon completion of this course students should have acquired an understanding and appreciation of the values and responsibilities necessary to cope with the complexities of life in a 20th century democracy.

__** Personal Economics (9th Grade) **__

This is a 45 day rotational course for all 9th graders held on four of the six day cycle. This course allows students to work with income, budgets, taxes and includes a visit to the //Junior Achievement Finance Park// in Pittston, PA for a real-life simulation. Working with hands on materials and situations, students will gain knowledge of how working citizens manage their income in the world today.

__** World History and Geography (10th Grade) **__

This course will cover the time period from the Renaissance to the Franco-Prussian war of 1871 in depth and coordinate with American History II for the time period 1871 to present. The history of Western Civilization and its geography will be emphasized.

__** Principles of Economics (11th Grade) **__

This course will cover three basic units of Economics: economic systems, money and banking, government and the economy. Within these units certain issues will be covered such as: central planning, free market systems, the stock market, saving and investing, various taxes, federal budget, and the Federal Reserve system.

__** Government - Dual (12th Grade) **__

This course is meant to introduce seniors to the workings of the United States government and their role as citizens in the United States. The course will cover the creation of the United States, the writing of the Constitution, the rights that all American citizens are given and the workings of the national, state and local governments within the nation. Civil liberties and civil rights will also be a major focus, allowing students to better understand their Constitutional rights. The course is available for dual enrollment credit, in affiliation with __Lackawanna College__. .

__** Psychology - Dual (11th & 12th Grades) **__

The role of psychology is to introduce the student to the study of the mind and brain, the most important parts of all of us. Psychology deals with several concepts: History of Psychology as a Science, Developmental Psychology, the Brain and its Physical Process, Sensation and Perception, Learning and Forgetting, Language and Communication, Emotions, Personality, personality Disorders, Personality Therapies, Social Psychology. The course is designed for college bound students. This course is available for dual enrollment credit, in affiliation with __Lackawanna College__.